Capital One Platinum Review: A Good Card for Average Credit
The Bottom Line
3.5
This is an attractive option if you've got average credit. But the high interest rate means you won't want to carry a balance from month to month.
Rates, fees and offers
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
N/A
Bonus offer
None
Intro APR
N/A
Ongoing APR
APR: 29.74% Variable APR
Cash Advance APR: 29.74%, Variable
Balance transfer fee
Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
Foreign transaction fee
0%
More details from Capital One
- No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
- Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
- Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you
Pros and Cons
Pros
Qualify with average credit
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
Cons
High APR
No rewards
Detailed Review
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a solid option for those with average credit. It has an annual fee of $0 and also charges no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees). But for many, its standout feature may be that it also offers the chance to earn a higher credit limit in as little as six months.
Credit limits tend to be lower for those with average credit, so access to a higher credit line could be beneficial for your credit score and wallet.
Capital One Platinum Credit Card: Basics
Card type: Fair credit.
Annual fee: $0.
Rewards: None.
Interest rate: The ongoing APR is 29.74% Variable APR. That's pretty high, so try to pay your bill in full every month so you don't get charged interest.
Foreign transaction fees: None.
Other features:
According to federally required disclosures for this card, there's no penalty APR for late payments, but a late fee applies.
Zero fraud liability for unauthorized charges.
Unlimited access to CreditWise, an app that monitors your credit profile.
Reporting to all three credit bureaus, according to the issuer's website.
Cardholders can choose the monthly due date that works best for them.
This card is different from the similarly named Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, which is generally for people with worse credit or no credit at all. As that card's name indicates, it is a secured credit card. That means you must put down a cash security deposit. Read our review of the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card here.
Compare to Other Cards
Benefits and Perks
Lower fees
You won’t earn any rewards on this card, but you can save money on fees. The Capital One Platinum Credit Card has a $0 annual fee, and you'll pay no foreign transaction fees on overseas purchases (see rates and fees).
Opportunity to boost your credit limit
Make payments on time, and you could get your credit limit increased in as little as six months. A higher credit limit — if not used — can lower your credit utilization and have a positive impact on your credit scores.
Credit bureau reporting
A card that reports payments to all three major credit bureaus — TransUnion, Experian and Equifax — can help you build credit. These companies collect the information used to calculate your credit scores, which is a key step in establishing credit.
No penalty APR
According to the required rates and fees disclosure for this card, if you are late with a payment, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card won’t raise your interest rate with a penalty APR. A late fee will still apply, though. And of course, it's not a good habit to get into.
MORE NERDY PERSPECTIVE
 | My oldest open credit account is with Capital One. I carried the Capital One Platinum Credit Card. It helped me build credit, but I waited way too long to upgrade it. If you get this card, do so with an eye toward upgrading when your credit improves. Paul Soucy, content director, credit cards and travel rewards |
Drawbacks and Considerations
No rewards
While you'll avoid certain fees with the Capital One Platinum Credit Card, you won't earn any rewards with it. If you're looking for a card that earns rewards, other options may be a better match. The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, also for average credit, offers many of the same benefits as the Capital One Platinum Credit Card. But it earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase. It charges a $39 annual fee (see rates and fees). The cash back earned can offset this cost when you spend $2,600 or more annually with the card. If you don’t spend that much, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a better choice.
High interest rate
Carrying a balance on this card month to month can get expensive: The ongoing APR is 29.74% Variable APR (see rates and fees).
As an alternative that provides more cost certainty, consider the Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®, which combines elements of credit cards and personal loans. When you use it as a credit card, balances are converted to installment loans. When you use it as a personal loan, funds are deposited into your bank account. Whichever option you use, you can pay back what you borrow in equal monthly installments at a fixed interest rate over a certain window of time. (Note: when you use your card as a personal loan, you'll also pay a 5% cash advance fee.) It’s friendly to those with average credit, and it earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases. It has a $0 annual fee.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
How To Decide If It's Right For You
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card could be ideal if you have average credit. The chance to earn a higher credit limit may offer the freedom to do more. The travel-friendly advantages and no foreign transaction fees can also add up to savings when you go out of town.
However, the card doesn't earn rewards, and its high APR could make it a deal-breaker if you maintain a balance. This card is better used as a tool to improve your credit so that someday you can qualify for a card with lower interest rates. See our list of best credit cards to find the best option for you.
This card is friendly to those with less-than-perfect credit and it earns rewards. You'll earn 1.5% back on purchases, plus 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. But it does have an annual fee.
Looking For Something Else?
Methodology
NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
Frequently asked questions
Who can qualify for the Capital One Platinum card?
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is available to applicants with fair credit or better, although eligibility isn't decided by credit scores alone. Your income, debts and other factors are also considered. Fair credit, also called "average" credit, is generally defined as a FICO credit score of 630 to 689.
Which is better: Capital One Platinum or Capital One Quicksilver?
It depends on your credit. The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is available to people with fair or average credit, while the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card — the issuer's popular cash-back card — requires good credit or better (a FICO score of 690 or higher).
However, those with fair credit have a cash-back option in the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. This card earns the same unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases as the regular Quicksilver-branded card, but it charges a $39 annual fee and lacks the new-cardholder bonus of the regular card (see rates and fees). If your primary goal is simply to work toward good credit, and rewards aren't as important to you now, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a solid choice.
Will the Capital One Platinum increase my credit limit?
As long as you make your monthly payments on time, you can be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months.
What kind of flexibility does the Capital One Platinum offer?
You can choose the payment due date that works for you — such as setting it for the time of the month when your cash flow is best.
Is the Capital One Platinum card good?
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a fine choice for those with fair or average credit. The $0 annual fee makes it possible to build credit at no cost (see rates and fees). However, the APR on the card is on the high side, so it's best to pay your bill in full every month to avoid interest charges.
About the author
Melissa Lambarena
Senior Writer & Content Strategist
